Bilge Float Switch

[muddasick]

Should this be installed next to the Bilge pump itself, or is there an ideal location for the float switch?

Thanks

[Mac_Attack]

Mine are located side by side 4-5 inches ahead of the bilge drain hole. *Bill Mc ;D

[shicks007]

I have my pump and float switch screwed to a piece of 1/4 thick S.S. plate. It sets in the aft bilge box. The plate is heavy enough to keep them in place.

[reelapeelin]

I placed mine side by side about 6" out from transom...attached piece of 1/4" rubber to bottom of bilge w/5200, let cure, then attached the switch to the rubber w/bead of 5200 around base...pump itself w/5200 direct to bottom...pump broke loose, but hose keeps it right in the cured 5200 footprint... :D...ONLY time I ever had or heard of that stuff lettin' go...must notta been holdin' my jaw right when squeezin' the tube... ::)...

[macojoe]

What's Bilge pump???

[chumbucket]

Ya know? Even before I got to MJ's post, I knew that was going to be his response. ;D ;D ;D
Actually, it's scary that we think alike. :o

[jaysea]

isnt a bilge pump a bleech bottle cut to scoop the water?

[chesapeake724]

Yup. And the gpm rating of a guy in a sinking boat is 10x more than the best bilge pump. ;D

[reelapeelin]

Hey Chesapeake...ain't it been a while since you've been around these parts??... :)...wacha been doin'??... :D...

Nope, went back an' looked...you've been on...you just ain't been "wearin' it out" lately... ;D...

Man, I'm bummed-out...got a slight stain on my white V20 shirt the other day...got me madder than a wet hornet inna fly-swattin' contest!!!... ::)...

[macojoe]

I have one white shirt PERFECT, One Blue near perfect, and one Blue with Bleach splatter :o >:(

[chumbucket]

oh yeah, that's what you're calling it...............bleach splatter. :o ;D

[Franco]

6 white, all in great shape!!!

[reelapeelin]

I'm gettin' afeerd to wear 'em... ::)...

[Pipe_Dream]

Mine is right next to the pump, lowest spot aft in the bilge.

I'm not wearing my V-20 shirts until this heat wave passes!

[muddasick]

There are two wires connected to the float switch.

I've never wired anything on a boat before so excuse my ignorance.

I know one is hot and one is ground, I can probably figure out which one is which. But now, where does the ground go and where does the hot go, also seeing that this thing will be in water, I need a great splice job to make sure I don't wet the area where I am connecting the extention wires.

I hope this make sense.

ps. I don't want the flow switch to work with the ignition, so does that mean I wire it directly to the battery?

[Franco]

Hey Muddasick, here is a wiring diagram
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Flafranco/bilgePump547x301.gif
you should have a dpdt ( dual position double throw ) switch - that means it has 3 positions
up - on
middle - off
down on
Forget the spdt switch - still wire it the same as the diagram
it sends 12 volts through the switch in two different positions - that way you can have the pump run manually or automatic ( using the float switch )

[Havis]

Picture of what I 'got. Don't know if I've posted this before or not...but here it is anyhow... There are 2 pumps in there. One for normal use and another for when things go bad.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/havis/bilgepumpsA.jpg

[reelapeelin]

Yeah, that's a bigun awrite...hope things never go THAT wrong for ya!!... :)...

[Franco]

Did the wiring diagram help you Mudda?

[reelapeelin]

Don't know about mudda, but I's havin' a great day til I tried to read it!!... ::)...

[muddasick]

That diagram could have been in Japanese and it wouldn/t have made a difference. I completely don;t understand circuitry diagrams.

I guess it's always easier for someone to just show you once and you go from there.

[Franco]

I just tell everybody that electrial current flows thru wires like water flows thru pipes. It uses switches like faucets. start at the positive and follow it to negative thru the pipe and there ya go!!!

[reelapeelin]

Afterall...we all started life bein' shot thru a pipe... :o...

[Blue_Runner]

...and some of us through a pipe with a faulty check valve :o

[Skools Out]

a pipe with a pair of Norton Snaggers near by.